New guy, new armour (pics included)

[jodo]

Did you play in it, or just test your own marker on it? I'm curious to see how people react to a set of Mando armor on the playing feild. It looks like it held up preety well either way though. :cheers

 

[JIM BEEF]

we didn't actually get a chance to play today. we were supposed to, and we hiked three miles to get the what was supposed to be the perfect paint ball spot. once we got there, only about three of us wanted to play, and the rest just wanted to set up tents and drink until tommorow. so the three of us who were interested decided to test the armour. as far as how people react to mando armour on the feild, i can only speculate at this point......and i speculate fear. and why shouldn't they fear it. itt holds up well. instead of getting massive welts at close range, it just feels like someone is gently poking you. that may also have something to do with the half inch foam padding that is lining my flak vest.

 

[tubachris85x]

Aw man, I had started awhile back, just a set of mando chest armor for the same thing, for paintball. Just never got around to making a vest for it.

-tubachris

 

[Mandalore23]

nice armor

 

[JIM BEEF]

well, i know i said i was going to wait until i could find some pvc to build a helmet out of, but i just couldn't take it anymore. so i began to build one out of fibreglass. i used Wizard Of Flight's helmet and dome templates, built one out of some rigid paper, then i coated it with bondo to give it some stability. once that was done and dried enough, i put a layer of wax paper over the dome, so it would sepearate easily enough, and started to hit it with some fibreglass. I've only done the dome up to this point, because, as i've said before, i want this helmet for paintball. so i didn't want to build the whole thing only to find out i'd wasted my time and my money. so for now i just went with the dome. as soon as i got that part of it done, i took it out back, and my brother in law and i hit it with about two hundred rounds at point blank range. and it held up just fine. not a crack in the thing at all.........well, there was one little piece that chipped off near the bottom, but i could have flicked that off before i even started shooting at it. I'm really happy with how it's coming together, and i'll keep posting as i keep working.

 

[JIM BEEF]

well, i ended up having to work longer than i thought today, so i didn't get to spend any time on the helmet like i'd hoped. i did have a little bit of trash can left over, so i decided to do some knees. they were about the only part i had missing, other than the helmet, but certainly not the only part unfinished. i've still got lots of work ahead of me, but i'd like to try and get everything as ready as can be so i only have to set up for paint one more time. the knees are not exactly screen acurate, but this is a custom, so i'm not terribly concerned.

 

[Darasuum Verd]

how did I miss this topic? your armor loox pretty sweet!

 

[JIM BEEF]

hey thanks man. and thanks everybody actually. i've gotta say, for this being my first effort at any sort of costuming, everybody here has been nothing but encouraging. i really do appreciate everyones support and input. this is probably the friendliest community i've ever been involved with.

 

[GCNgamer128]

The kneepads appear to look a little deformed, do you think you can fix them up a little?

 

[JIM BEEF]

yeah, the knees definetly need some reworking. i'm thinking i may just start over on them.

 

[GCNgamer128]

I would heat them up and flatten them again. Then I would form them over a paint can or something of that size.

 

[JIM BEEF]

i know that this isn't a mando helmet, or mando anything for that matter, but this entire thread has been about my paintball gear. so until i set myself up with a mando helmet for paintball, i use this one. and i'm personally very happy with how my little mod has worked out today. i disassembled an old xbox headset, and re-assembled it to my paintball mask. it doesn't put any pressure on my ear, the way it did when i just wore a headset inside of the mask, it fits well, works fantastic, and is all set to hook up to a two way radio. and you can't see it at all from the outside of the mask.

 

[JIM BEEF]

well, it's been a little while since i've updated, mostly because of working, and working on things. i finished my back plate, painted and mounted, and lately i've been working on a bucket. since this is my first attempt at a helmet of any sort, it's taking some time. and since i'm planning to use it for paintball, i really want to make sure that this thing is going to be solid. i still have lots of sanding, lots of detail and some more fibreglass work to do, but i'll go ahead and put some pics up for now. once again, any thoughts or helpful hints are more than welcome.

 

[NovallTalon]

Hey that's looking good. Your definitely right about having it protect well for paintball. I was into paintball when I was in high school, me and 2 buddies started a local team. Still have my old F1 Illustrator, and one of our mates had a modified VM68. That mug sounded like an M60 when you fired it rapidly, and it hurt when it hit.

 

[JIM BEEF]

that's exactly why the flak vest has a half inch of foam padding lining it. between that and the armour plates, i can barely feel getting hit with shot of paint.